AP504 Global Food Security

DESCRIPTION

Food security is being impacted not only by population growth, but also by climate change, uneven food distribution, nutritional security, political economy, volatile markets, and degraded ecosystems. New innovations and ways of thinking are required to address these challenges. This unit provides and advanced understanding of issues of global food security. Students will examine a range of approaches to promoting global food security, including novel and existing agricultural and husbandry techniques for safe and sustainable food production.

RELEVANT COURSES

Master of Agricultural Information Management

Master of Business Administration (Agribusiness)

Elective unit

Master of Agriculture specialisation in Food Security and Innovation

CREDIT POINTS

10

DELIVERY MODE

On campus

Online

Mixed mode

Intensive

Extensive

PREREQUISITE OR CO-REQUISITE

AP400 Agribusiness Management

UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES

LO1 Apply theoretical knowledge to discuss the political, economic, social, and environmental influences on global food security in a global context

LO2 Critically assess theoretical and conceptual issues relating to emerging risks both to food and agricultural systems

LO3 Critically analyse the emerging technologies used to combat global food insecurity

LO4 Articulate the challenges of global food production and food insecurity in a specific community or population group and propose appropriate interventions

LO5 Investigate and describe the impact that agriculture and food production have on the society and environmen

CONTENT

  • Understanding global food security: Key drivers
  • Food production machinery (leaves, photosynthesis, seeds, mineral nutrition of plants)
  • Agriculture and the development of crop production and sustainability of food production systems
  • Sustainable nutrition
  • Food industry and global food security (food supply chain, achieving food and nutrition security by reducing postharvest food losses)
  • Sustainable animal production
  • Microbes and the global food security
  • Food security challenges and prospects; political economy of agricultural and food policies
  • Field visit (staff to brief the students on the research happening in the context of global food security)
  • Feeding the world in 2050 (future foods) biofuels, pandemics, genetically modified foods (green revolution)
  • Food production and environmental impact
  • GMOs and agrobiodiversity

ASSESSMENT METHODS

  1. Quizzes – 20%
  2. Team Work – 30%
  3. Written Report and Poster – 50%

PRESCRIBED READINGS

Nil

Check with the lecturer each semester before purchasing any textbooks